Author: Ryan/Dada

So August stayed awake for more than seven and a half hours before taking a nap. And that one nap today was less than 50 minutes. And he didn’t sleep in, and went to sleep at the reasonable hour of 7:30. 

Besides that, highlights today were his music class (which was snowman and snowball themed) and going to the bank as a family to get boring banking stuff done.  

Oh, and it seemed like he is trying to stand up (unsuccessfully) without using any wall or chair. And when he holds my hand to walk he did a few steps only holding onto one of my hands. Up to now he has insisted on holding both hands, even when it doesn’t seem like he needs both. Will keep an eye on that.  

Good morning: 

Admiring Lauren’s baby painting: 

There is one song in the Napul Napul video that shows cartoon babies crawling, sitting, and walking. He goes crazy for it. It is the baby success story: 

Feeding himself rice snacks: 

Relaxing on the bed, but not taking a nap: 

At music class. Watching the teacher: 

Shaking the basket of snow balls: 

Bubble and bandana boy: 

Back home. Here he is crawling down the hall to me. I actually missed all the yelling and arm flapping he did on the first half of his journey from his room: 

Reading about the wild things with mama: 

August and I Skyped with my friend Peter in the morning. August was really into waving to him and playing the up/down game. He didn’t really wave at strangers during the day, but in the evening after Carly got home he was waving to both of us a lot. 

He took a morning nap (55 min) and woke up at 11:30. We took the train down to Children’s Grand Park and first walked to a playground where he went on the slide and we went on the swing together. They are small swings, but August could handle swinging at full force and was still excited. I think he will really be into the swings.  

Had planned on looking at some animals first, but he clearly wanted to play so we went straight to the children’s museum.  

Ate lunch (August ate half a banana and some of the rice snacks from yesterday), then went to the toddler section. Busy, but not overwhelmingly.  

Went next door to the book area when he needed a break, then back to the toddler area until we left.  

Headed home when he was getting tired. Walked around our park and on top of the art museum as he suddenly didn’t seem sleepy. Came home and even though he was twice crying and rubbing his eyes he never took a nap.  

We did, however, invent a game in which he drops Marshy off the side of the bed and Marshy tackles him. 

Had a bath and ate dinner after Carly came home. And did a lot of waving. Made it until 7pm. So, made it through a full 12 hour day with less than an hour of napping.  

 

Woke up crying, but happy when he got his rope: 

Decided to go without clothes for awhile: 

He got excited once he saw the owl mural on the way out of the subway station: 

Having fun at the children’s museum: 

He was getting tired, as evidenced by the fact that he spent several minutes looking out a window at the view outside: 

Back home. He refused to nap, but invented the Marshy game instead: 

He has figured out he can stand up at the windows and look out. He can just barely see any of the street, however, and asks to be picked up: 

One more cute bath photo. In his robe and grabbing his foot:

It was a two nap day for August. He slept for 80 minutes in the morning, which meant he was full of energy for his class. After class we bought a few groceries and came home and played and ate lunch. We then headed to the kid cafe and had fun there. 

It has been a few weeks since we were last at the kid cafe. In that time August has become a full on crawler and is talking and interacting more with other kids. I could definitely tell the difference. It was nice and empty, with just a few other kids there. There was one girl in particular – probably 4 or 5 – that took an interest in him and enjoyed jumping on the trampoline to make August bounce, which he liked.

He was having fun there but after an hour and a half he asked to be picked up and cuddled in my arms. Time for a nap. We headed home and he fell asleep. While he was asleep Carly got home and I headed to PT.

Here he is in the morning playing with Mimzy. He did this over and over and over:

Off to class. Today’s class was all about cats. This, of course, included cat ears. August (predictably) did NOT like the ears:

August and Ahsoo (I’m probably spelling that wrong) are the two most outgoing and demonstrative babies in the class (out of a total of four today, so not saying a whole lot). Anyway, they were interacting a bit more today, or at least playing in the same general vicinity:

Going down a slide by himself:

For Cassie. His first balance beam experience. He actually crawled along it a bit (and then scooted backwards on it) but I couldn’t get that on video:

Playing with a ball of yarn and the cat pages of the books:

One of the moms in August’s class brought in these bags of homemade rice treats for everyone. August loves them, as he can crunch them with his teeth:

Back home for awhile before heading to the kid cafe. He loves his set of shapes. He just kept throwing them around today, particularly the red one:

All sorts of fun at the kid cafe:

Rocking:

Meeting this girl who played with him on the trampoline. You can hear him talk to her:

They were actually looking at each other for awhile, but I managed to snap this photo when August looked back at the boy. It was really quite cool to see him making eye contact with another kid like that:

Back home in the evening. He was clearly ready to go to bed, but rebounding to play for awhile. You have to see the face right about half way through this video:

August slept well last night, so today seemed like it was off to a good start when he slept until 7. But then he fell back to sleep after nursing, which seemed a bit odd. When he woke up again he started crying and the crying got worse and he was wiggling around in obvious discomfort. 

Of course, this happened on a Sunday, the only day our pediatrician office isn’t open. So around 8:30 we hop in a taxi and head to the hospital – the same one that sewed Carly’s fingertip back on a couple years ago. 

He didn’t have a temperature, so their guess was bowel obstruction, and they wanted to do an x-ray. I had the job of helping the technician hold August still as they took an x-ray. They saw “fecal matter” but nothing of big concern. 

So, they gave him a little baby enema, he fell asleep in my arms as we walked around the emergency room, and after he woke up he pooped and was instantly back to his normal self. 

It was all rather odd, in that he had pooped quite well on both Thursday and Saturday. And the recovery was so quick that the brunch plans we had cancelled from the hospital were now back on. 

In hindsight, we probably could have held off on the hospital; it would have been nice to avoid the x-rays germs in an emergency room. And, if it was any other day, we would have waited until the pediatrician was open. But we kind of just expected it to be an ear infection, we’d get some medicine, and be on our way. Also, people go to the hospital all the time here in Korea, so it wasn’t unusual. And did I mention the whole thing cost 34 dollars?

We took a cab home and Skyped with Chuck and Cherie. August was clearly back in peak form based on his excitement. 

At noon we met our friend Meg and hopped the bus up to Nowon to go to an American brunch placed called the Ugly Stove. Carly was there once back in the fall, but I had never been. August fell asleep on the walk there from the bus and slept through most of the meal still strapped to me. Meg brought back some awesome handmade colored pencils from Hawaii for him. She’s an art teacher and wanted to give him his first art supplies. 

After lunch we walked around Nowon and then walked home, buying a new set of stacking cups for August at a rather disheveled and dusty toy store we found along the way. The rest of the day has been perfectly normal; seems odd that we we were at the hospital just this morning. 

The one photo I took at the hospital. Carly didn’t want photo evidence to embarrass August with in 15 years. So no photos of me carrying around a half-naked baby with a rag covering his bottom: 

Here we are, two hours later: 

Our brunch: 

The awesome colored pencils Meg brought from Hawaii for August: 

The new stacking cups we purchased on our way home: 

Happily eating a dinner of the delicious soup Carly just made: 

Playing with the sheet while wearing his bib: 

August had an odd night of sleeping involving a lot of talking in his sleep and trying to wake me up and being awake with Carly for an hour and a half. So we didn’t know how the day would go. 

August and Carly played in the morning while I first Skyped with my parents and then had a book group meeting with my teacher friends (we had read Hild, by Nicola Griffith). 

Around 11 the three of us took the bus to Dream Forest. After watching the deer getting fed we went back to the library cafe that was packed last Sunday afternoon and found it empty on a Saturday morning. So we had fun there and Carly and I took turns with August so the other could sit and read. 

He got tired and fell asleep after nursing. We decided to walk home, stopping at the new burger place that August and I went to earlier in the week. 

Unfortunately, August was awoken by a cold gust of wind after being asleep only half and hour. This proved to be his one and only nap. 

We had fun at the burger place; they let him play with a toy tractor. 

We walked home. Carly then went grocery shopping while I gave August an unwanted bath and fed him lunch. 

He was getting really tired but managed to stay awake until close to 7 when he fell asleep in my arms as we were listening to Hozier. 

 

Watching the deer: 

Carly looking out at Dream Forest from the cafe:

Exploring an empty cafe:

He is obviously quite comfortable here:

Asleep for his shirt nap:

At the burger place, excited by the knicknacks he remembers up above:

Playing with the tractor:

Back home with rosy cheeks:

Some pretty funny talking:

An unwanted bath, but not too traumatic:

Enjoying some nearly-naked time:

Asleep:

August woke up at 6:25 and was awake for 6 hours. I think he has officially changed to just taking one nap a day. His nap today was a monster: over 2 hours and 45 minutes. And when he woke up 45 minutes into it he was only awake for 5 minutes before he got back to sleep. I think he is adjusting to taking naps with just me around. 

A lot more reading today. He was also really into looking out the window. He would sit on my lap with his head leaning against the window and make some quiet noises. This happened twice before his nap and Carly said he looked out the window with her when I was at PT. 

When he woke up we no longer had time to go to the kid cafe. So we simply went for a walk. Picked up two pizzas at Pizza School for dinner and then walked some back streets. 

Came back a few minutes before Carly got home, made the switch, and I went to PT. 

Helping put a new sheet on the bed:

Watching the traffic below. My parents will remember this routine. But we can sit down now. Also, he has changed a bit since my parents held him in the same spot four or five months ago:

Got to love the talking:

Playing with my laundry:

Destroying a piece of pasta:

Finally asleep:

On our walk to get pizza. After such a long nap August was full of energy:

For bed Carly dressed him in his grey pajamas and a pair of socks we haven’t used for quite awhile. The pajamas are getting tight and the socks used to be huge on him:

August woke up at 6:25 and we had a very nice morning, although he seemed to get tired and rebound a few times. 

We did a lot of reading; so much so that I was actually taking him away from the books to do other things. He played with his shapes, but the blocks in the tin can, played with shoe laces, drank from the spray bottle, watched his Napul Napul video with me, and of course played on the bed a lot. 

His nap was an enormous two and a half hours, but that includes about 20 minutes in the middle of crying and failed attempts to get him back to sleep. 

When he woke up it was about 2:30. Carly was getting home late because of her club so I decided we had time for a little adventure. We took a bus northeast just past Sanggye station and walked a bit to the foot of the mountains and Bulamsan Nature Park. 

We walked up a trail a bit and found a nice bench. We hung out there for awhile, reading But Not the Hippopotamus and feeling the trees. 

We then walked around more, seeing a big, fenced in stone that had no sign but looked important, a building with some odd art on it, and a few other things before we got back to the playground and played there. 

Oh, and along the way August found his new spotting obsession: the electrical boxes along the sides of the street that have a picture on them. He’s never pointed them out before, but did it four times today. 

 

Just for fun, playing with his shapes in slow motion: 

He is proud of his shapes:

The books have told me that he should be interested in shoelaces about now. But he rarely gets to play with our shoes now since we take them off inside. And since it is winter they have been dirty so I haven’t given them to him to play with. Well yesterday he happened to be by my feet when I was putting on my shoes and got really excited about trying to untie them. So, more shoe fun today:

He was being goofy while drinking out of the spray bottle. Here he is looking up at the monkeys on his growh chart and offering them some water:

It was with Carly a couple days ago that he started putting blocks in the tin can and taking them out again. We had filled the can a couple times already before I shot this:

Perhaps the best August video yet. You would think he is tired in this video, but he stayed awake for more than an hour after this:

And here is one of the electrical boxes that is his new obsession:

At out sitting spot in the woods. He felt the bench and the tree and we read But Not the Hippopotamus:

Feeling more trees and talking to/about them:

He was also excited by this exercise wheel and did a pretty good job of turning it:

The weird art on the side of a building. August seemed to most like the blue branchy head in the second photo:

On one of those little rocking things at the playground:

Watching the scenery on the way home:

August slept in until almost 8, meaning he slept close to 12 and a half hours. I had a feeling he wouldn’t have a problem getting to and through his music class at 12:40 and I was right. 

We left the house about an hour early and walked around the park a couple times and then played on the swing, slide, and bouncy thing at the playground for quite awhile. 

His class went well. He was even more vocal than usual, although I want able to get any of those good moments on camera. In particular he was screeching when she was introducing and handing out the tambourines (which, as you will see below, he didn’t end up playing with too much).  

After his class we bought a few groceries and headed home. I expected him to fall asleep soon as it was 2 and he’d been awake 6 hours. But after eating pasta, being changed, and having milk he just kept going until 3:20.  

Alas, he only slept 53 minutes. That was his only nap for the day.  

After Carly got home we went down to the clinic on the second floor so that she and I could get flu shots. That done we walked back through the park and to Home Plus for a few more things (if you get the sense we are always going to Home Plus you are pretty much right). 

I had fun on the way back predicting all the things August was going to get excited about. He is pretty predictable that way. From Home Plus home the list includes: a blue hose, the vending machines, the dog and man sculpture, the stairs, the ice rink, more vending machines, the cartoon characters on the Dunkin Donuts window, the Orange warning light above the drive way, a red light, the numbers in the elevator, and finally one last red light outside the elevators on the 8th floor. 

A very happy wake up this morning: 

A fun word:

On the swing:

Music class:

This is supposed to show how intently he watches the teacher; but you can’t rally tell what he is focused on:

The teacher does a great job of getting his attention; but once the toys are passed out the room becomes chaotic and there are distractions everywhere. August prefers to watch what everyone else is going. Or simply look at the mat:

Today’s random not-related-to-music activity involved a noodle thing and colored pieces of felt. It was actually a pretty good activity:

Liking the bubbles, as usual:

Cuddling with Marshy:

There is only one thing wrong with this photo. He was still awake after 7 hours:

After August took a very short nap this morning, we took the bus to Seokgye station. We started walking up the stream from the river, heading northwest. The stream curves north and goes past APIS and on up to Bukhansan. 

We stopped near APIS to try out a new burger place for lunch, then continued along the until August started to get tired.  

He took another short nap on the way home. 

Back in our neighborhood we played at the playground for about half an hour.  

Today was about sticking out his tongue and practicing his minickry, which he has been doing more and more of.  

Sticking out his tongue: 

Mimicking:

On our walk. Some funny noises and minickry:

Trying out the new burger place. He was happy to have some of my lettuce:

Excited by pigeons outside the burger place:

Ready for a nap:

Alas, his nap only lasted 25 minutes as he was woken by a subway intercom announcement. But he woke up happy and awake:

We played for about a half hour in the park. We were perfecting our sliding technique. I figured out just where I could release him so he could stop at the bottom and get off by himself: 

Still sticking out his tongue in the afternoon:

In the evening Carly put in his bandanna for the fun of it. I’ll probably have him wear it to his class tomorrow:

Carly’s first day back meant the first day in three weeks that August had to just deal with me for milk and naps. He responded by deciding to not take a nap. He woke up at 6:25 and managed to stay awake through his class and all the way until 1:50. 

He wasn’t even really acting tired, and made it through his class just fine. When he did fall asleep it was almost like a switch had been activated. Boom. Asleep. 

He slept until 3:00 and that was when things got complicated. Carly wasn’t there to nurse him back to sleep, so he was upset. He fell asleep twice in my arms, but awoke when I tried to put him down. I got him to sleep lying down only to have him start crying when I started to move.

Eventually, he fell asleep in my arms and I carried him out to the couch. He slept, draped on me, for over another hour until Csrly opened the door and woke him up. 

I had PT and then came home to a very hyper boy.  

From the morning. An example of my excellent parenting: 

At his class. He did quite well despite being awake for over five hours when it started. The activities today were about frogs. That was the only time he got a bit upset as he wanted to put the foam handles in his mouth. Anyway, a bubble:

Ready for the parachute:

Out of focus, but you can tell he is liking the parachute games:

His first major crawl away. When I went to get him I realized what he’d seen was a bunch of bubbles still on the floor (they use an amazing bubble mix) and he wanted to pop them:

Finally asleep, with Bluey and Marshy for company:

And this is how he slept for the final hour. We were more upright for most of it and I managed to have the computer on my knees so I could type an email:

Looking at his Napul Napul books from his class. One usually stays in the classroom but I asked to bring it home today: